Amidst the new safety-first stance opted by almost every corporate organization, they have to deal with a new set of business travel-related challenges. These include frequent flight cancelations, mandatory quarantine on arrival, and extended lockdowns in some travel destinations.
Companies have to think twice before planning and finalizing a business trip now. Because of the uncertain situation, they are not sure if the business trip can add value to the organization. They have to establish the worthiness of the trip before giving the go-ahead. However, importance of business travel in the post-pandemic times can’t be ignored.
Business travel amidst the changed pandemic-induced circumstances is a hot topic of discussion across industry verticals and management forums. Hence, let us see why is business travel important for employees and corporates.
Importance of business travel in 2022
1. Business travel in the work-from-home culture
Most organizations that asked their employees to work from home during the pandemic are steadily bringing the workforce back to the office. The physical presence of employees in the office and face-to-face interactions of team members are crucial factors for better communication that enhances productivity.
Some business situations entail a face-to-face meeting to produce effective outcomes. Salespersons, for instance, can hope to have a better shot at success by visiting a prospective customer. Without a hands-on approach, a service engineer cannot solve a technical problem.
Digital communications have made significant advances in recent years. But, face-to-face meetings have crucial business benefits, which are:
- Helps develop rapport
- Makes it possible to interpret non-verbal cues
- Allows easy sharing of ideas and convincing customers easily
- Helps engage in purposeful small talk that can strengthen relationships
- Sensitive issues can be handled with care and empathy
2. Face-to-face meetings promise better returns
Video conferencing or online meetings have been around for several years. However, face-to-face interactions are known to help businesses clinch better deals. It also helps in building a strong personal rapport with clients.
You can look forward to multiple benefits by physically attending seminars and trade conferences rather than webinars or online discussions. Physical attendance is essential for networking, which is valuable for developing fruitful relationships.
3. Fear of losing out
Most companies have started to review their travel policies as the economy opens up in the post-pandemic period and hire (Travel Management Companies) TMCs for efficient and hassle-free corporate travel management.
If your organization depends only on online interactions, there is a strong probability of losing out to competitors who resume business travel. Therefore, resuming business travel is crucial to gain an edge over companies that continue to engage in online meetings with customers.
4. Business travel will continue to be a norm
Despite a long period of pandemic-related travel restrictions, business travel is back as digital communication platforms cannot substitute the power of social connections and face-to-face interactions. Organizations with teams across diverse time zones in different global locations must adopt business travel policies to nurture team spirit. Teams can share valuable insights for cross-fertilization of ideas during personal interactions.
5. Enhancing the morale of employees
Traveling to new locations and meeting new people are among the top stress buster techniques for an employee. By providing the opportunity, especially after a long pandemic and lockdowns, the activity is appropriate to boost the morale of an employee. Corporations organize various business trips and bleisure travels to ensure the company’s streamlined functioning and maintain the trust of an employee in the organization. Further, corporate travel is the best way to take a break from work while still being productive for the organization.
The importance of business travel can’t be neglected for getting ahead of the competition. Regular face-to-face meetings help companies share the corporate vision for a brighter future. These meetings also provide a robust platform for rewarding successful teams to motivate the entire group for better performance. Video conferencing has a lot of drawbacks because one cannot establish personal bonds and trust during online meetings.
Businesses that were skeptical about the relevance of business travel in the post-pandemic period recognize the value of interacting personally. Face-to-face meetings are going to be the norm again. Further, managing business travel can be simplified and made a less time-consuming routine by employing TMCs using platforms like Paxes.
Suggested Read:How To Progress Towards Sustainable Business Travel
Importance Of Business Travel FAQs
What are the advantages of face-to-face interactions after the pandemic?
Face-to-face interactions can help to share ideas, convince the clients, and engage in purposeful small talk.
How is business travel helpful in work-from-home culture?
Business travel can help employees to bond together, strengthen their professional relationships and work in a team closely.
How does a face-to-face meeting lead to better results?
Being physically present during a meeting is beneficial for networking. One can deal with a complex situation with care and empathy. It will also help in convincing the third person.
How can business travel increase the morale of the employees?
One of the best ways to reduce stress for an employee is to travel and interact with new people. The opportunity is provided, especially after a pandemic and lockdowns. Making a business trip is an appropriate activity to raise employee morale.
What is the importance of travel in business?
Travel is important in business for several reasons. It allows for face-to-face interactions with clients, partners, and colleagues, which can help build relationships and establish trust. Travel can also provide opportunities to explore new markets, develop new business opportunities, and gain insights into different cultures and business practices. Additionally, travel can help boost employee morale and engagement by providing opportunities for professional development and personal growth.
What are the advantages & disadvantages of business travel?
Travel is important in business for several reasons. It allows for face-to-face interactions with clients, partners, and colleagues, which can help build relationships and establish trust. Travel can also provide opportunities to explore new markets, develop new business opportunities, and gain insights into different cultures and business practices. Additionally, travel can help boost employee morale and engagement by providing opportunities for professional development and personal growth.
What is the objective of business Travel?
The main objective of business travel is to achieve business goals through face-to-face meetings, networking, and exploring new opportunities in different regions or countries.
